10 Factors to Consider When Selecting your House Architect:
You are very excited about your property. It is by a beautiful lake, or on top of a mountain, or overlooking a canyon, or in a nice subdivision. Now you want a top-notch house architect to design your home. What do you look for? Here’s a handy list of 10 things to consider when seeking your house architect:
- Do you like the designs this architect has previous produced? Have you seen his projects on his website and perhaps in person? Do they stir something positive inside you. Do they inspire you to want something that sort of looks like that? Most architects develop a characteristic style of their own over time and they become quite good at that.
- Have you had a few phone conversations with this designer? Have you met him or her in person? Do you like them? Sure, they need to tell you about what they do, so that you have the proper information to hire them, but do they also listen to you? They need to understand your needs and wishes. Do you get the feeling that they are getting your message?
- Is your prospective architect interested in your site? Do they have the means to investigate your property, either remotely or personally? Have they displayed to you an understanding of the possible best views, topography considerations for your foundations and relationships to neighboring properties?
- Is this person actually a licensed, registered architect somewhere? Some so-called home-designers do not go out of their way to explain to you that they are not the real McCoy. Ask. There is a difference in the level of service you receive, quality of documents, and professionalism.
- If you have not yet purchased your property, can your prospective architect provide some counsel on the land and location you are considering? You will probably have to pay for this advice, which is fine. The question is whether they can give you useful counsel on what might be the best land for you, along with reasons that make sense. For instance, you might appreciate a particular cliff site. While your architect might also admire the view, he would likely explain that your foundation costs might be significantly more in that spot.
- Does your architect have some background with home value engineering? In other words, does your prospective home designer have a working knowledge of how to get the most bang for your buck? You may want an all-stone home exterior, but your architect also should know that such a choice on your part will cost significantly more than perhaps a few dedicated areas of stone, and wood siding elsewhere. That is, unless price of construction is no object. Is it? Only you can answer that for your home. Most people say, “Yes, it is important.”
- Does your architect understand how to make your home more healthy than most homes these days? Do they have any programs that they work under, or have they perhaps invented some initiatives regarding healthy homes to insure that your home will have cleaner air, little to no off-gasing of noxious fumes from building materials, and special considerations to result in an easier to clean home? Do they have an understanding of indoor air quality as it relates to home design and construction?
- Does your architect have an understanding of energy conservation principles for home design and construction? Do they know Energy Star considerations? Do they have a green home design section on their websites in which they display this understanding? Do they understand the relative costs of various home insulation products and their relationship to other construction factors like roof and wall construction and related ranges of costs? Do they know how to “Go Green For Less?”
- Does your architect understand what “green” is? Not just the marketing hype that is politically correct, but the real, hardcore issues that allow you to participate in decreasing the environmental footprint of your house on this planet? Can your architect explain to you how this can put money into your pocket over the life cycle of the various systems in your home? Can he or she explain how this allows you to be a good steward of your community, in addition to having a more durable, better performing house?
- Is your architect willing to hold your hand and help you through any phase of the project in which you want their assistance?
Well, that’s ten good things to know about your house architect. Ask questions, look at their projects and in the end, feel comfortable that you are making a good decision. Your best choice may not necessarily be the cheapest, but may be the best value. Value means best services for the money being spent. Little service for little money is not a good value. Having your home designed and built is a very detailed, expensive, and important event in your life. Do it properly. Hire a good architect that will wrap a home around your lifestyle and site like your best walking shoes fit your feet. Make sure you get a good fit.
Contact for house architect :
Rand Soellner Architect www.HomeArchitects.com 1. 828. 269. 9046